The present invention relates to exercise devices, and more particularly, to an apparatus for articulating the knee and hip joints for therapeutic purposes.
In some cases, persons can benefit from artificially induced motion to their lower extremities, and in particular from artificially induced articulation of the knee and hip joints. For example, when a person is recovering from knee or hip surgery, such artificially induced motion may prove helpful in overcoming muscle atrophy.
In the past, a number of different devices have been developed for artificially exercising a person's limbs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,057 of Barclay discloses an apparatus for flexing the knee joint which includes a pair of straps which are wrapped around the calf and thigh, respectively. The straps are hingedly connected at the knee joint by mechanical linkages secured to the straps. These linkages are moved by pneumatic cylinders to articulate the knee.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,597 of Root discloses a device for artificially simulating the act of walking by holding the knees substantially stationary while sequentially elevating the hells, depressing the unsupported arches, and flexing the toes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,261 of Small et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,622 of Swenson disclose dual footrests which are reciprocated by a motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,940 of Phiffer discloses an exercise device including an elongate fixed base having a sliding base on which is mounted an oscillating footrest. A seat is resiliently mounted to the fixed base and a control lever is provided for controlling the location of the footrest relative to the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,060 of Pecheux discloses an articulated frame for supporting a patient's leg, the frame being driven back and forth by a pneumatic cylinder. The foot is supported on a longitudinally adjustable, but otherwise stationary, foot support plate connected to the frame. Hammocks extend between the parallel rods of the frame to support the leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,920 of Fiore et al. discloses a foot support connected to a base of a ball and socket joint enabling the support to be tilted in any direction by a foot supported thereby.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,594 of Schwab discloses a trapeze type orthopedic device for the treatment of vertebral disorders.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,261 of Masmonteil et al. discloses a deformable cradle including three pivotally connected sections for carrying the thigh, calf and the foot of a patient. The foot support is connected to a carriage which is driven along rails. The cradle is flexed at the junction of its thigh and calf sections by a hydraulic cylinder through a linkage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,206 of Bierman discloses an apparatus having a pair of foot/calf supports which are oppositely driven through a chain to simultaneously exercise both of a patient's legs in a to-and-fro manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,534 of Hamabe et al. discloses a massage table in which a pair of wheels are reciprocated underneath a cover sheet via a rack and pinion gear drive.
German Pat. No. 2015054 of Bimler discloses another leg supporting articulated frame.
German Pat. No. 2524468 of Lang discloses another motor driven articulated leg supporting frame with a parallelogram guide and telescoping capability.